Winter
by Zay-el
Summary: In time, everything must end. After a lovely Spring, a bustling Summer, and a slowly fading Fall, Winter inevitably ends it all...


Just as a signal, yes, I'm indeed alive and kickin'! XD Neither have I given up on my old stories either, even if they've been neglected for a long-long time now. So, brace yourself for some major updates soon! ;3

This story holds quite some of my theories in it this time, some more likely than the other. You decide which is more liable than the other. Enjoy and review, if you like! 83

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_**Winter**_

_You always knew this day would come..._

Slowly, almost cautiously, she strolled through the halls of the Council, only the tapping of her steps echoing around. Normally, the corridors were almost bursting with life and the happiness of the youth, but now everything was silent. Fairies, Teensies, Glutes, all of them were quiet these days, taking their happiness to other places.

_You knew one day, his time would end..._

The slender figure continued to stroll along the corridor, an almost regal calm emitting from her. The dim light kept playing tiny light-tricks with her silvery robes, only ever obstructed by the purple markings running all along the superb clothing, running from the very bottom to even the sleeves.

Her gaze seemed fixed upon a single door at the end of the corridor, subtly sitting along the rest of the rooms. Lately, they were all silent though, none of their inhabitants wishing to disturb the one who remained in the last room these days. Her heart grew heavy as she approached the beautifully carved wooden door, placing her hand on the handle and firmly pushing it down.

_...but then why does it hurt so much?_

"Welcome, Ly..." he spoke, even before she could utter anything herself, and as always, had that cheeky, arrogant, insinuating, but altogether sweet smile.

A smile slowly grew on her face as well, as she approached the bed. The room was by all means pretty simple, with none of the sometimes luxurious furniture or possessions others kept around at times. All he needed was a table, a bookcase, a bed, and almost nothing more. He'd never been a demanding person anyway, even though he would have very much deserved anything he could possibly wished for.

She only looked at him though, instead of the room. Those soft, but persistent eyes, the gentle features, even the floppy golden locks of hair...that was all him. Even though he was way under the height of other creatures, in spirit and power, he towered high over them. He was the protector of life, the emissary of all that is good.

Finally though, the illusion her eyes showed her disappeared, giving her the true sight. Such a long time had passed. His youthful look had given place to a slightly tired one, several wrinkles showing the sad truth. He had grown old...very old. The blond flops settled on his head after a long time of stubbornness, changing to a soft gray color, along the way. Even his eyes lacked the life they always had, giving a painful check of reality.

It wasn't like she hadn't changed over the many-many years. Over the long line of decades, she'd grown from a restless young girl, into a fine, wise woman. Her form was a bit taller even than before, her silky, blue hair left to grow, reaching almost to her waistline. Her tail curled around her legs under the robe, almost as if hugging her.

She settled down at the edge of his bed, leaning closer and giving him a short, warm kiss.

"It's nice to see you too, Ray..." she purred softly, her features almost like all those years ago.

He seemed to see behind the grown-up look as well, able to see the child she was, almost looking like one himself, for a moment. He chuckled softly, only to fall into a short coughing fit. Sad as it was, his body was nowhere near as strong as it had been once.

"Not for long now..." he mused, smiling softly at her. She reached out, gently stroking his worn cheek.

"Don't say that...you've still got a long while..." she nearly whispered, forgetting about everything else she might had to say. There was no rank, duty, sadness...only the two of them.

"Stop fooling yourself, Ly." he stated, slowly reaching up and stroking her hand upon his cheek. His smile was more acceptive this time than anything else. "You know yourself that it's over now..."

The fairy couldn't help but sigh, her smile weakening quite a lot. She'd accomplished so much over these years, yet she always weakened greatly whenever he was involved in the matter. She could still just barely believe it had to happen. As stupid as the thought was, she almost hoped they'd really be together for all eternity, like they promised.

On a grandiose day, forty years after the defeat of the Robot Pirates, two souls joined in an unbreakable bond of love, forever tying their lives into one. They shared every sadness, joy, hardship and success together, for almost four centuries. No matter how she tried to delay the inevitable though, it happened eventually. Slowly but surely, the limbless had grown old, his power weakening, his movements becoming heavy.

At first, he just began looking for an heir. Despite their love for each other, they couldn't simply break the species barrier, until Polokus had proposed his intervention to help them. The fruit of this promise was a wonderful baby girl, a beautiful child.

Born a fairy, little Lily had most of her father's traits, straight to the one that she always kept rubbing the back of her head, when unsure of something. She lived far away now though, all grown up and out to see the what the world could offer to her young blood.

It all just began with him looking for an heir. He realized fairly in time that he could no longer protect people from harm, thus sought someone who'd carry on his legacy and duty, both of which were demanding to the end. He'd grown sick soon enough as well, a vile coughing taking him over every now and then...and today, he was lying on what would soon become his death-bed, one of these days.

"I know...I just wish it wouldn't..." she muttered, sighing deeply once more, holding back the tears in the corner of her eyes.

"It's been a long-long while, Ly." he purred gently, smiling at her with that worn look. No matter how he looked, she loved him the same, even more as it turned out that she'd soon lose him. "I'm finished with my duty...although you still have yours." he spoke once more.

He was right, although her duty differed from his. It was a black day to all, when Betilla, the grandest fairy to ever have lead the Fairy Council, passed on into eternity. As her apprentice, she was appointed as the new head, piling the responsibility of the entire Dream Glade on her shoulders.

She could barely stand it at first. She thought she'd collapse under the weight, scarred forever from several slightly bad choices. He kept the spirit strong in her though, which lead her to continue, not just for herself, but for everyone. Now, she was almost as revered as Betilla had been in the old days, and knew the elder fairy would be proud of her work.

"Has he made his choice?" he asked, bringing her back to reality. She didn't need to think much of what he meant, as this had been a common topic between them lately.

"He agreed to become your heir." she answered the much-sought question, relieving the last bit of burden on his heart. "He will protect the planet from now on."

"Such a great fellow..." he mused, smiling softly once again. "I'm just sorry I can't give him a decent ceremony...though...I didn't get one either." he chuckled a little once again. "But either way, I know he'll do fine. Who would have thought the Musician's great-grandson would become the next in line?"

"No one, but you." she chuckled, kissing his nose softly.

She was tempted to just lie down besides him like she always did during these days, just letting her head rest upon his chest. She would be listening to his heart beating strongly still, while he'd stroke her head softly, running his fingers slowly along her hair.

"...I regret nothing." he spoke up once more, glancing into her eyes once more. "Everything I did in my life...I regret not a single thing."

"That's what I wanted to hear." she purred, although her heart only grew even heavier from his words. Only one heading to the afterworld would say something like that. "I'd be very much offended if you've regretted anything of these past years." she mused playfully, leaning down and giving him another kiss.

"Really now, I doubt I have anything to complain..." he chuckled, giving her one of his older grins, albeit worn as well. Raising his hand, he pulled her a little closer. She giggled, letting her head rest upon his chest once more finally. "...you'll have to live in place of both of us now..." he spoke gently, but almost seriously suddenly.

Her eyes opened a little as she leaned up as fast as she lied down, looking down upon him with growing sorrow. His look was almost stern a bit, the kind of look he gave when something important had to be decided. "Promise me you won't mourn me forever..."

"Ray..." she nearly whimpered, swallowing her tears back.

"Promise me. Promise that you'll live and take care of our Lily in my place as well, from now on." he asked, as if it was his final wish.

Although harder to say that one could possibly imagine, she swallowed finally. She couldn't bring herself to say it. She felt as though if she would, he'd suddenly leave her, never to be seen again in this life. Finally though, she spoke up. "I...I promise." she whispered, uttering a weak smile. "I promise that I'll be here, until life will unite us once again in the Spirit World...and I'll make sure no one will ever forget you..." she promised.

"Thank you..." he purred, his features softening a bit more once again. His eyes started closing slowly, though the smile was still present on his face. "...now I can rest."

Ly's eyes opened wide upon those words, her heart leaping into her throat. _He can't...not already... _She leaned lower, her face falling into her eyes as she softly grasped her husband. She whispered his name over and over again, louder with every try, but he spoke nothing no more. He was at peace now, in an endless slumber he deserved so much.

Only she couldn't accept that. She just couldn't get over it, even though it had been liable to happen at any point now, yet she couldn't bear the thought. They would no longer wake up besides each other, smiling as if they were in heaven. They'd never again speak to one another, never even able to gaze into each other's eyes. He would no longer see her.

Forgetting rank, dignity, promise, everything, she slumped down upon his chest, the torrent of her tears flowing right upon the soft covers. She couldn't stop crying for the longest time, feeling a kind of pain the Fairy Glade didn't know much about, as such coupling rarely occurred. She did though...and it was unbearable.

* * *

The sun brought down upon the lands, bringing the day no one wished to come. It was cold, almost bone-chilling as almost every single resident of the Fairy Council gathered before the entrance. Most of them were already sniffling, mourning the loss of their greatest champion ever to have existed, while others stood in complete silence.

Finally, the first few began to appear; those who would lead the hero to his final resting place. Before everyone else, were a small group of mixed species: fairies, Glutes, greenbottles, Teensies, limbless', and every other kind that came to the call. All armed with different instruments, they began to play an old tune, usually sung only at the greatest times of loss, as this were. Just from the song alone, many burst into even more tears.

As the group slowly left the Council's interior, many more things became visible. Back a little, one could already see the final bed of the limbless. A beautifully carved wooden coffin served as his hold now. The coffin was already closed by then, and everyone knew why. It would have only brought even more despair to even see him no longer alive...at least this way, he remained eternal in their memories.

Flower-marks were carved upon the sides of the coffin, while the front was much more simpler, just like his life was. He had never been one to make too much fuss about it. Younger fairies stood by the sides of it, each carrying a bouquet of beautiful, violet flowers, which everyone knew were the ones people always picked to someone's memory.

Following the coffin close-by, came his two descendants. One of them was his rightful daughter, holding strong before everyone, her usually barely controlled green hair combed well for this one occasion, her lambent eyes looking bloody from before though. Besides her was the carrier of his legacy, a young boy who seemed to be barely reaching the age of adulthood. He was limbless, just as the elder guardian, but having a long brown hair instead of his blond locks. Both of them were dressed in black, mourning the greatest of them all.

Behind them came the widow herself, wearing a black robe instead, her gaze left upon the ground. Many gazed at her compassionately, knowing how bad her pain must be. To lose a husband was something unimaginable to most. She was here as both the head of the Council right now though, not just a mourning wife.

The crowd gathered behind them as they continued, heading deep into the Fairy Glade. Lily trembled along the way, her strength dissipating continuously to the thought that she'd lost her dear daddy, the one who taught her how to stay strong, who always played with her, juggled his entire body to her. She knew limbless' had barely half the lifespan of a fairy, but she never thought the reality of mortality would come upon her so soon. She would have spent some more time with him...

Ly reached out, pulling her daughter a bit closer, feeling her pain. They shared every bit of it. The loss of Rayman would be something time wouldn't erase, only soothe after a while. His heir came closer to Lily, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm the girl a little. She sniffled a few, before collecting herself once more. Her father would want her to be strong, no matter what.

After a while, they arrived at their destination. A large hole was dug up before a lone tree, almost in the middle of the clearing they ended up at...the same place where they had met, all those years ago, growing friends almost right then. The people of the Glade formed a circle around the clearing, while the initial group approached the hole. There, the fairy stepped forward, standing before the coffin as the people carrying it put it down for a bit.

"We've gathered here today, to say farewell to someone who had been the greatest of the Glade." she spoke surprisingly strong, as if she wasn't grieving at all. Others knew better though. She was only trying to remain strong for his late husband's sake.

"A noble man, a courageous hero, a forever-gentle person, a faithful husband, and a loving father." she continued. "Rayman had been all these, and even more. For if it wasn't for him, none of us would be able to enjoy life now...not one of us could wake up freely every single day and look forward to all that'd await us."

"Without a firm decision, or prophecy, he chose his fate for himself, right upon the first moment he went against Mister Dark. He could have remained hidden like the rest of us, but he didn't. He rose up against tyranny, oppression, suffering and evil so many times, we lose count of it."

"Those who knew him personally, also remember that he'd never been one to brag of his strength, or achievements. No...right until the moment he left this world, he'd always been as sincere as one could ever be. He'd always been a person who very well is the definition of life...free, uncorrupted, happy and loving."

She stopped in her words for a short while, giving the near-unseen signal for the carriers that they should begin. They merely nodded in agreement, raising the coffin and slowly getting it into the hole and burying it. Lily could no longer hold back her sobbing as she saw her father's resting place becoming covered.

"Let us rejoice though, because his life had been a sign to us all...that this is what life should be about." Ly continued, spoking as a fairy, wife, queen and mother, all at the same time. "He would never agree to anything that'd lessen the joy of life in any way, and would fight for it even, if necessary. Let it be a lesson to us all...life should never be about anything else, but of caring, love, and happiness."

"We all thank you Rayman, for reminding each and every one of us, for showing that even in the deepest darkness, there is light. That in every sadness, there is a hint of joy. That in every end....there's a new beginning." she pulled both Lily and Rayman's heir closer, rubbing their backs a little to help them cope with the pain.

Ly remained in silence after that, even as the grave was filled. When she did speak up once more, her voice seemed to echo in every corner of the world as she began to sing. Her voice was teeming with sorrow, just like the song was. It was one of the eldest mourning songs known to the world, capable of showing even the worst emotions in their true forms.

The rest of the people soon joined into the song, each bringing their own experiences and memories into the melody. They all knew the limbless to a certain extent, thus his parting was painful to them all. Ly's voice was still the strongest though, clearly audible in the entire Glade.

As Rayman's memory lived strong in all, such was the impact of it was well, as even most of the Lums in the area gathered around the grave, looking as sad as one could imagine they were. As if on cue, a cold wind swept across the clearing, and the next moment, it began to snow. Many forgot the notes for a single moment, gazing at the cold flakes falling around them. To Ly though, it almost gave just the very faintest hint of happiness, or at least, acceptance.

_Even the heavens are mourning him..._


End file.
